Time Motion
Level Summary
Time Motion is a level focused around using cubes to activate magic tiles. This level is the product of a class exercise in which we handed off our LDDs to another classmate. The level features props made by myself and my classmates, and all functionality was created using blueprints.
Info
Game: Time Motion
Engine: Unreal Engine 5
Development Time: 7 weeks (March – May 2023)
Team Size: Solo
Screenshots
Completed Level
Blueprints Examples
This gallery of screenshots shows the blueprints I used to make the blue pressure plates in this level. In the LDD I received, the blue pressure plates activated blue tiles that functioned as jump pads when the player stood on them.
This blueprint shows me activating different groups of blue tiles (based on their tag) and changing their material to one that is emissive to indicate that they were activated.
Design Goals
1-to-1 Implementation
My main goal was to make the level as close to the original design as possible. I started by finalizing metrics and laying out the level room by room. Next, I focused on creating the functionality for the tiles as they are the highlight of the level.
Distinct Level Areas
Time Motion is made up of a series of 3 rooms which flow from one into the other. To make it clearer that the player was entering a new area, I gave each room a different color theme.
Conveyance With Lights
In accordance with the original design, the tiles light up when they are activated by either the player or the cube. To further this, I also added spotlights to highlight cube locations and key areas.
Post Mortem
What Went Well
- I was able to create a visually appealing level in which the player can easily tell which are they are in
- Although it wasn’t exactly the same, I was able to get the level functioning in a way that was very close to the original design. When I ran into issues I was able to find good substitute functions
What Went Wrong
- I ran into several bugs with the way variables work in Unreal 5 version 5.1, and this often broke my level
- Because of the bugs, I could not implement all of the features present in the original design. I also had to hardcode some of the features which makes the level hard to adjust and inflexible
- I fell behind during production because I focused too much on getting the tiles to work when I hadn’t finished the layout of the level yet
What I Learned
- I became much more familiar and comfortable with Unreal 5’s blueprint system. I especially learned how to properly cast to different actors and when to cast to them
- I learned how to follow a design and keep its core intact while also making necessary changes (so that the level would work)